Texas trying to play it cool ahead of meeting with USC

AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 08: Shamari Brooks #3 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane is stopped for a loss by Charles Omenihu #90 of the Texas Longhorns in the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Photo: Tim Warner, Stringer / Getty Images

AUSTIN — Since the week began, Texas has remained committed to the script devised by coach Tom Herman.

“You get fired up for every game, man,” senior defensive end Charles Omenihu said. “Me and the rest of my teammates take it as another game. You prepare the same way for every game.”

Texas graduate transfer running back Tre Watson repeated the refrain.

“I’m going to be at the peak of my juice every single week when I step on the field,” said Watson, a California native who spent some of his childhood draped in USC’s cardinal and gold. “You have to treat every opponent the same and practice the same.”

Every conversation carried a sense of déjà vu. The actors simply refused to break character.

Until senior nose tackle Chris Nelson deviated — if only for a moment.

“When an opponent like USC comes in, of course there is a level of hype,” Nelson said. “Everybody’s ready, everybody’s hyped up. Just excited for this game, so the juice is pumping right now.”

USC, of course, warrants more attention from Texas (1-1) than Maryland and Tulsa. Everyone from athletics director Chris Del Conte to Herman to Bevo XV’s handlers understand what a win over the Trojans would mean for a program that has started four of its last five seasons 1-2.

The Longhorns went 1-4 in five tries against ranked opponents -- the lone win came over No. 24 West Virginia, though quarterback Will Grief exited in the first quarter with a hand injury -- during Herman’s inaugural season. A double-overtime loss to fourth-ranked USC in Los Angeles might have been the most gut-wrenching of them all, though.

This year’s USC team might be more vulnerable. True freshman quarterback JT Daniels replaced Sam Darnold, who was the third overall pick in the NFL draft. Daniels was sacked four times, threw two interceptions and bruised his throwing hand during last week’s 17-3 loss to Stanford.

Of all the returning names, Ehlinger arguably has the most to prove. This year, unlike last, the odds are ostensibly in his favor.

It is Ehlinger who gets to assume the role of the composed veteran facing off against a freshman quarterback who still is adjusting to the speed and power and schematic nuances of college defenses. Royal-Memorial Stadium will be packed to the brim and hanging on every throw, every audible, every escape from pressure, eagerly waiting to explode like “Smokey,” the stadium’s affectionately named replica Civil War artillery cannon.

Last year’s performance heralded Ehlinger’s arrival. This year, the native Austinite could cement his status as the Big 12’s next big thing.

“I think you always have to tame a guy like Sam a little bit,” Herman said. “He gets pretty lathered up on game days, and so again, that’s a good thing. But using previous mistakes as motivation, I don’t see that in him.

“I think he wants to beat USC.”

The burden is not solely on Ehinger, though.

The defense, which has amassed one sack through two games, needs to start getting pressure on the quarterback. The secondary, which has allowed 10 pass completions of at least 15 yards, needs to maintain focus. Freshman Ryan Bujcevski, who had one punt blocked last game, needs to avoid helping the opposition with 20-something-yard shanks.

Herman has stressed improvement in all three phases, and a coming together of sorts against USC could provide the perfect springboard with conference play beginning next week.

Texas can continue preaching “just another game” ad nauseum, and it almost certainly will. But under the hood, as Nelson momentarily revealed, is a team simmering with excitement at a chance to alter its trajectory.

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